SUBSTRATE BLOCK WITH LIQUID COLLECTING MEANS

Abstract: The invention relates to a substrate block (1) for plant culture provided with an upper surface (6) for receiving a plant, which upper surface is provided with means for collecting liquid, wherein preferably the liquid collecting means (9) comprise at least one groove (10) arranged in the upper surface and in addition the groove extends at least partially around a plant hole (8) which is arranged or to be arranged in the upper surface, wherein at least one channel (13) for draining the liquid optionally connects onto the liquid collecting means.

Description: Substrate block with liquid collecting means The present invention relates -to a substrate block for plant culture, and more particularly to a substrate block which is provided with means for collecting liquid supplied to the substrate block. The substrate block according to the invention can be used for cultivating plants and can thus consist for example of a grow-block or a grow-mat. When a plant grows in such a substrate block, liquid, for instance feed solution containing nutrients, for example inorganic salts, is supplied to the substrate block. In addition mains water is optionally added which may contain a crop protection agent. As a result of the feed solution drying in and/or algae growth on the upper surface of the substrate block, conditions may occur in which the liquid does not penetrate into the substrate block, but flows away over the upper surface or remains lying thereon and can lead to undesirable damage to the foot of the plant. Much water can also run off when the substrate blocks are saturated from above. The invention has for its object to improve the substrate block of the type stated in the preamble in the sense that the above described drawbacks occur to a lesser extent and liquid supplied to the substrate block can penetrate into the block and cannot flow away in an undesirable manner. This flowing away has particularly adverse consequences when the substrate block is a grow-block placed on a grow-mat and the water supply to the grow-mat takes place via the grow-block. This is achieved according to the invention with a substrate block for plant culture characterized in that an upper surface for receiving a plant is provided with means for collecting liquid. With the liquid collecting means it is thus possible to temporarily or otherwise collect liquid on the upper surface of the substrate block which can then penetrate into the substrate block. According to a preferred embodiment the liquid collecting means comprise at least one groove arranged in the upper surface. It is however also possible for the liquid collecting means to consist of cavities arranged distributed over the upper surface. The groove preferably extends at least partially around a plant hole which is arranged or to be arranged in the upper surface. It is thus possible in conditions where the substrate block does not stand upright to collect substantially all liquid flowing away to a particular side. If the groove has the shape of a round circle, it is then possible to arrange such a groove in the upper surface in very simple manner, for example at the same time as arranging of a plant hole. In order to avoid collected liquid accumulating close to the stem of the plant and there possibly resulting in damage, it is further recommended that the groove is provided with a bottom surface which inclines downward toward a substrate edge. This moreover achieves that the possibility exists of draining water to underlying parts over a larger portion of the surface of the substrate block. The draining of the liquid accumulated in the collecting means is improved further if at least one channel further connects onto the liquid collecting means for draining the liquid. The channel can end in the interior of the substrate block or on a bottom surface or side surface of the substrate block. This can depend on the application of the substrate block. Ending in the bottom surface is preferred when the substrate block is used as grow-block which rests on a grow- mat located thereunder to which the supplied liquid must be transferred. Mentioned and other features of the substrate block according to the invention will be further elucidated herein¬ after in the light of a number of embodiments which are only given by way of example, while reference is made to the annexed drawing. In the drawing: figure 1 shows a top view of a substrate block according to the invention; figure 2 shows a section along the line II-II from figure l; figures 3 and 4 each shows a view corresponding with figure 2 of other embodiments; and figure 5 is a top view corresponding with figure 1 of yet another substrate block according to the invention. Figures 1 and 2 show a substrate block 1 according to the invention. Substrate block 1 has the form of a grow-block with four side surfaces 2-5, which can be enveloped in a plastic foil in a manner not shown here. The substrate block 1 is further provided with an upper surface 6 and a bottom surface 7. The upper surface 6 is provided with a plant hole 8 intended for receiving a plant which has previously been propagated in a plug. The upper surface 6 is further provided with liquid collecting means 9. The liquid collecting means are formed by a groove 10 which is arranged round the plant hole 8 and the bottom surface 11 of which inclines downward in the direction of the side surfaces 2-5. Figure 3 shows a substrate block 12 according to the invention with substantially the same structure as substrate block 1 of figures 1 and 2. However, the groove 10 is further provided with a number of drain channels 13 distributed along the periphery, along which liquid accumulated by the groove 10 is drained to the interior 14 of substrate block 12. Figure 4 shows a substrate block 15 in section, which block has a considerable length perpendicular to the plane of the drawing. Along the length the upper surface 6 of substrate block 15 is provided with two elongate grooves 16 for collecting liquid, which grooves extend along at least one or a number of narrow plant holes 17 arranged in upper surface 6, for example for receiving cuttings. Substrate block 15 can be enveloped in plastic foil on its side surfaces and optionally on its bottom surface. Figure 5 shows a substrate block 18 according to the invention, the upper surface 6 of which is likewise provided with liquid collecting means in the form of a groove 19 enclosing the plant hole 8. The groove 19 is provided with a number of drain channels 20 along which liquid accumulated in the groove 19 can be drained to a bottom surface of the substrate block 18, where the channel 20 ends. The collecting means may optionally extend to the side edge of the upper surface and there give off the collected liquid to the space between the side surface and the plastic foil enveloping the substrate block. The substrate blocks 1, 12, 15 and 18 according to the invention can be manufactured from a mineral material such as rockwool and glass wool, from an organic material such as a plastic, in particular a foam plastic, and optionally a mixture of these materials, possibly with other additives, such as clay, peat, and the like. *****

Claims: CLAIMS 1. Substrate block for plant culture provided with an upper surface for receiving a plant, which upper surface is provided with means for collecting liquid. 2. Substrate block as claimed in claim 1, wherein the liquid collecting means comprise at least one groove arranged in the upper surface. 3. Substrate block as claimed in claim 2, wherein the groove extends at least partially around a plant hole which is arranged or to be arranged in the upper surface. 4. Substrate block as claimed in claim 2 or 3, wherein the groove is provided with a bottom surface which inclines downward to a substrate edge. 5. Substrate block as claimed in claims 1-4, wherein at least one channel for draining the liquid connects onto the liquid collecting means. 6. Substrate block as claimed in claim 5, wherein the channel ends in the interior of the substrate block. 7. Substrate block as claimed in claim 5 or 6, wherein the channel ends on a bottom surface and/or a side surface of the substrate block. *****

Inventors: DE RUIJTER JOHANNES FRANCISCUS, KNOP ALBERT-WILLEM, DE RUIJTER, JOHANNES, FRANCISCUS, HENDRICUS, KNOP, ALBERT-WILLEM
Applicants: KNOP ALBERT WILLEM, ROCKWOOL GRODAN BV, RUIJTER JOHANNES FRANCISCUS HE, DE RUIJTER, JOHANNES, FRANCISCUS, HENDRICUS, KNOP, ALBERT-WILLEM, ROCKWOOL/GRODAN B.V.
Application year: 1994
Main classification: A01G31
IPC codes: A01G31